Anno 1696 is far more varied that their previous endeavor, and maybe because of that, a little less memorable. There’s time for everything from melancholic ballads to blast beats, with the guitar trio Markus Vanhala / Ville Friman / Jani Liimatainen being a clear highlight, not to mention Niilo Sevänen’s distinctive harsh vocals.
What’s new? The record is somehow more folky, featuring great leads, nice piano work and fifty minutes that feel shorter despite the songs not being the most exciting, betting on better songwritting. The production is great, you can’t expect otherwise from Mr. Jaime Gómez Arellano.
Maybe we are so used to the band releasing great albums, with exceptional songwritting specially since Winter’s gate (2016), their undisputed masterpiece. Is it because of that the wow factor is slightly lower? Don’t misread this, Anno 1696 is a must-check and a great melodeath record: Together with Amorphis, Insomnium is still that band that takes you to the vast forests, crystal-clear lakes and pristine wilderness areas of Finland.
For fans of
Breakdown
- Wow factor: 7
- Freshness: 7
- Production: 7
- Previous works: 7
Very good
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